Abstract
BACKGROUND: Organic acid anhydrides are low molecular weight industrial chemicals, able to cause rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma associated with specific IgE against hapten-carrier protein conjugate. Only a proportion of exposed workers develop IgE-associated allergy to acid anhydrides.
OBJECTIVE: We determined whether genetic susceptibility, in particular, HLA Class II alleles may be a risk factor.
METHODS: We undertook HLA typing in 52 cases who had confirmed specific IgE and in 73 referents matched on site, age and duration of acid anhydride exposure identified in cross-sectional studies of workers exposed to hexahydrophthalic (HHPA), methylhexahydrophthalic (MHHPA) and methyltetrahydrophthalic (MTHPA) anhydrides.
RESULTS: The linked alleles DQ5 (odds ratio [OR]=4.3; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=1.7, 11) and DR1 (OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.2, 11) were more prevalent in cases than in referents. Within DQ5, DQB1(*)0501 was particularly frequent (OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.2, 7.4).
CONCLUSION: DQB1(*)05 gene confers susceptibility to develop specific IgE antibodies against HHPA, MHHPA and a non-significant trend with MTHPA. DQB1(*)0501 is protective for other low molecular chemical sensitizers (isocyanates and plicatic acid) which may indicate varying affinities for the corresponding specific class II molecules.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 812-6 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Clinical and Experimental Allergy |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2004 |
Keywords
- Adult
- Aged
- Alleles
- Case-Control Studies
- Chemical Industry
- Confidence Intervals
- Female
- Gene Frequency
- HLA-DQ Antigens
- HLA-DQ beta-Chains
- HLA-DR1 Antigen
- Humans
- Hypersensitivity
- Immunoglobulin E
- Immunophenotyping
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Occupational Diseases
- Occupational Exposure
- Odds Ratio
- Organic Chemicals
- Phthalic Acids
- Phthalic Anhydrides
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Risk Assessment